Cable Television

ARTICLES ABOUT CABLE TELEVISION BY DATE - PAGE 4

Hopes were high once the Florida Legislature came together in January to tackle insurance. The regular session, though, lacked that spirit of consensus and ended in anticlimactic fashion. THE GOOD Cable TV: Given a chance to break the stranglehold of cable television, lawmakers voted to deregulate the market by allowing phone companies to seek state permission to sell cable television instead of obtaining permission from local governments. The change won't necessarily lead to deep cuts in cable TV bills, but the choice provides hope for some relief.

THE PROBLEM Russell Greenberg, who lives west of Boynton Beach, contacted the South Florida Sun-Sentinel concerned about a broken cable-television box in his yard. The exposed electrical components in the box could become damaged and interrupt his cable service, he said. THE BACK STORY Greenberg said the cable box was struck by a lawn mower. The box serves his home and that of his neighbor. "Everything is exposed," Greenberg said, adding that he had called Comcast Corp. several times about the problem.

Fiercely fought legislation to drive more competition in Florida's cable TV markets now has one more stop: Gov. Charlie Crist. The House on Monday overwhelmingly agreed to adopt the Senate version of a bill (HB 529) to deregulate Florida's cable industry, resolving the Legislature's big-money clash between the cable and telephone industries. The bill paves the way for phone giants such as AT&T and Verizon to challenge existing cable companies, which have a near-monopoly in most areas.

They've broadcast their talking points in campaign-style commercials, using the TV screens they're fighting over to argue about who offers the best deal for Florida cable customers. Each side has dispatched platoons of lobbyists -- more than 100 in all -- to influence legislators. Now, the Legislature is poised to settle a big-money brawl between cable and phone giants, deregulating the state's cable industry in a deal that should mean discounts for consumers. But some warn it could also deepen divisions between the rich and poor.

The cost of mandatory cable for almost 15,000 residents will go up almost 5 percent on Jan. 1, when the plan that eventually will make the service voluntary goes into effect. City commissioners, serving as directors of the independent Town Foundation, recently approved the increase requested by Advanced Cable Communications. Although the settlement in a federal lawsuit allows Advanced to get annual increases of 5.5 percent, Advanced is asking for 4.3 percent, or $1.57 a month. Its rate will go from $36.43 to $38 a month.

When companies compete for customers, customers win: Competition invariably leads to lower prices, better service and more choices. The U.S. House of Representatives recognized this in approving HR 5252, the Communications Opportunity, Promotion and Enhancement Act. For years, a patchwork quilt of local franchising rules has quashed competition in cable television. By approving HR 5252, the House took a huge step toward eliminating this 1960s-era barrier to competition. Now it's time for the Senate to do the same thing.

By Mark Hollis Tallahassee Bureau and Researcher Jeremy Milarsky contributed to this report, April 26, 2006

With nearly as many lobbyists working the bill as there are legislators in the Florida Capitol, the biggest single battle in the final weeks of the 2006 Legislature is over a proposal to change the way Floridians get cable television, Internet and telephone services in their homes and offices. The main combatants -- cable companies and telephone companies -- have poured more than $1.7 million into state party war chests since 2003 knowing the prize is worth billions to Florida's telecommunications industry.

As Americans watched the Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, this year, we enjoyed the acrobatics of world-class athletes. But back in Washington, a supposedly expert government agency was engaged in a less-inspiring kind of acrobatics -- a flip-flop that could lead to higher cable television bills for consumers and less opportunity for television programmers. The less-than-elegant back flip was a highly questionable effort by the Federal Communications Commission, which reversed itself in a report that endorses a new federal regulation that would allow cable television viewers to be charged on a per-channel basis.

From a computer in his Town Hall office, town spokesman Braulio Rosa now can telecast timely information on Channel 78, a government access channel assigned to Davie under its cable franchise agreement with Comcast. "The purpose is to provide residents with current and on-time information relative to town functions," Rosa said. "Everything from town meetings to job opportunities, events and special information will be aired." Until March 11, the channel used to be shared by Davie, Cooper City and Southwest Ranches.